So, the current standing is Han Yan, Nan Song and Boyang Jin in that order. If neither Nan Song nor Boyang Jin is able to outstrip Han Yan's highest international scores at 4CC, Han Yan goes to the Olympics (barring any injuries). 4CC will be the deciding final qualifier for the Olympic berth.

According to the Selection rule, 4CC is not counted as an eligible international event (perhaps because it's very close to the Olympics). So per the selection criteria, Han Yan gets to go the Olympics, unless there are shady politics going on behind the scenes.

I really like the Chinese selection system, wisely weighted with clear formula, calculated with real scores rather than just ordinals. It leaves no room for the authority to fudge, yet is comprehensive enough for the high probability of the most competitive skaters being selected. Definitely superior to either American or Japanese model.

I really like the Chinese selection system, wisely weighted with clear formula, calculated with real scores rather than just ordinals. It leaves no room for the authority to fudge, yet is comprehensive enough for the high probability of the most competitive skaters being selected. Definitely superior to either American or Japanese model.

As well, there is no noticeable national inflation.

Yes, this was the biggest thing! I noticed that Yan wasn't held up in PCS, even though with the GP season he's had he would have certainly been held up in Japan/Russia/Canada/US/etc. Seems like placements were really dependent on technical performance.

According to the Selection rule, 4CC is not counted as an eligible international event (perhaps because it's very close to the Olympics). So per the selection criteria, Han Yan gets to go the Olympics, unless there are shady politics going on behind the scenes.

You're right. Thanks for rectifying my mistake.

http://sports.163.com/13/1231/08/9HDLDV4G00051CAQ.html
I was reading this article through google-translate. It seems that the selection committee has decided on the Olympic Team, except for the second spot for the ladies' singles. Assuming that it's true (do enlighten me on the credibility of the article), the members of China's Olympic Team in figure skating are as follows:
Men's Singles: Han Yan
Ladies' Singles: Kexin Zhang, TBA (the committee has yet to make a final decision in consideration of Zijun's serious state of decline this season)
Pairs: Pang/Tong, Peng/Zhang
Ice Dance: Huang/Zheng

Are you really implying that Sui/Han deserve higher PCS? With their rubbish basic skating? That's why there are two different marks in skating, one that marks the technical side and one that looks what is being done in between elements. Peng/Zhang are watchable even if the elements did not work out, whereas if the elements didn't work out for Sui/Han, there is nothing left in the program.

Sui/Han's basic skating isn't good and their postures and lines are poor but they have almost always shown well choreographed programs, skated to the music, with a lot of transitions. And this season is no exception. Well, the programs are probably watered down a bit, compared to what they've shown in the past but they're still decent.

Peng/Zhang's skating skills are a bit better, yeah, but not great either. They have definitely improved their postures and lines a lot and their movement is much more refined. But then, they don't have the projection and attack that Sui/Han show. So yeah, I could understand SS and PE being a bit higher but not significantly. Now that I look at their SP in more detail, the way it is laid out, the upper body movement in between the elements, I haven't given them enough credit. It's a very decent program. What really is grating, however, is how off-time P/Z's movements seem to be. It's like they aren't even trying to skate to the music.

Having said all that, I really don't think that the judges actually care and think about stuff like this (and I don't necessarily blame them given the lack of time and tools). They just give out one mark based on a general impression and slightly 'vary' it. Since P/Z got clearly higher PCS scores in both programs, despite having lower TES, then either the judges focused a lot on the things P/Z are better at, instead of looking at the bigger picture, or P/Z are now seen as a better team, having made the GPF and being Yao Bin's favourites out of the two teams.

Originally Posted by SkateFiguring

I really like the Chinese selection system, wisely weighted with clear formula, calculated with real scores rather than just ordinals. It leaves no room for the authority to fudge, yet is comprehensive enough for the high probability of the most competitive skaters being selected. Definitely superior to either American or Japanese model.

As well, there is no noticeable national inflation.

Thumbs up from me as well. The system is completely transparent and whatever you think about it, it's the scores that decide and not some official's personal preferences, or 'could be would bes' (skater A came 2nd but we see him as more promising so we'll send him instead).

Sui/Han's basic skating isn't good and their postures and lines are poor but they have almost always shown well choreographed programs, skated to the music, with a lot of transitions. And this season is no exception. Well, the programs are probably watered down a bit, compared to what they've shown in the past but they're still decent.

I would agree that S/H have almost always shown well choreographed programs, skated to the music, with a lot of transitions. (you forgot to add that the programs were such a masterpiece that they had to keep them for ages, but never mind). However, does it really matter if it is a well choreographed program and whether there are transitions or not if the skaters scratch during their crosovers so badly that you can hear it over the music up to the last row? (That's my observations from Nice.) Sui also seemed to have some head bobble while doing her crossovers - as if her head was connected to her legs and she couldn't keep it still while doing crossovers. Something like that should never happen to world junior champions and to 4CC champions. These are basic issues; that should have been sorted out when a person start skating, not when they compete internationally at senior level. I do admit that the last year while they sit out the majority of the season, some work had probably been done on their basics because it is not as painful as it was, but in comparison with Peng/Zhang, they are still lacking and in my view they do deserve much lower PCS.

Sui/Han's basic skating isn't good and their postures and lines are poor but they have almost always shown well choreographed programs, skated to the music, with a lot of transitions. And this season is no exception. Well, the programs are probably watered down a bit, compared to what they've shown in the past but they're still decent.

Peng/Zhang's skating skills are a bit better, yeah, but not great either. They have definitely improved their postures and lines a lot and their movement is much more refined. But then, they don't have the projection and attack that Sui/Han show. So yeah, I could understand SS and PE being a bit higher but not significantly. Now that I look at their SP in more detail, the way it is laid out, the upper body movement in between the elements, I haven't given them enough credit. It's a very decent program. What really is grating, however, is how off-time P/Z's movements seem to be. It's like they aren't even trying to skate to the music.

Having said all that, I really don't think that the judges actually care and think about stuff like this (and I don't necessarily blame them given the lack of time and tools). They just give out one mark based on a general impression and slightly 'vary' it. Since P/Z got clearly higher PCS scores in both programs, despite having lower TES, then either the judges focused a lot on the things P/Z are better at, instead of looking at the bigger picture, or P/Z are now seen as a better team, having made the GPF and being Yao Bin's favourites out of the two teams.